Mysterious Rooster Death

[LunaAndBobbySunshine]

Hi everyone. A few weeks back my favourite rooster, VB, died. It was extremely mysterious. VB was always a VERY friendly and talkative rooster. He’d follow you around and talk to you. My sister and I were hanging out with the chickens and ducks like normal and VB was friendly and talkative as always. About 20 minutes later my mum came to lock them up for the night. She was shaking the food bowl and everyone came running over; VB included. Me, my mum and sister all turned our backs for two seconds before turning back around to see VB lying on his side strangely. My mum thought he might’ve been choking and checked his airways and even gave him mouth to mouth. Nothing was in there. Suddenly he started having what seemed to be a seizure. His whole body convulsed a few times before he flapped his wings violently and then went limp. He died. I was shocked, he had been fine 20 minutes ago and then literally dropped dead. It was extremely emotional because our favourite drake had died a week prior, but from different causes. Does anyone know what happened to VB?

 

[Cazook]

I've read that most 'sudden deaths' in chickens that have no visible cause is usually due to heart attack/heart failure. Impossible to tell unless you have a necropsy done, though.

 

[jencolvin]

I had two hens die this month just as suddenly. I had necropsies performed at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Both had died from Fatty Hemorrhagic Liver Disease. Apparently their livers ruptured and they bled to death internally

Everyone else is fine so far, but I'm having them free range more hours for the exercise and almost completely cut out the scratch and seeds. I also have vitamins and probiotics in their water, but they don't like that at all.